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Nethercot, Steven Octavius (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-April-28

Male Head

Birth Date: 1923 (age 20)

Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Nethercot, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol England.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
33 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (RAF)
Base
Caron, Saskatchewan, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Service Numbers
1587243
Note on Commonwealth War Graves Commission web page "Corpl, no. 6 Platoon, B. Coy, 9th Batt, (City and County of Bristol) Home Guard."

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Cornell Mk. I Serial: FH874
  2. Cornell Mk. I Serial: FH875

All the aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Burial
Google MapCaron Municipal Cemetery
Block C Plot 28 Grave E

Cornell FH874

Fairchild Cornell

Fairchild Cornell Mk. II
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

In early 1942, an agreement was signed between the Canadian Government and Fairchild Aircraft, which licenced Fleet Aircraft of Fort Erie, Ontario to construct the PT-26 Cornell in Canada. The first 800 Cornells used by the RCAF were supplied from Fairchild, until production commenced at Fort Erie in November 1942. By the end of the war in 1945, 2,853 Cornells had been built by Fleet - 1,565 for the RCAF and 1,288 for the RAF.

PT-26 Cornells were flown at many of the Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS) of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, where they replaced the Fleet Finch and the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane trainers. After the Second World War, many Cornells were sold to the civilian market, but some were retained by the RCAF, where they were finally retired in 1948. CWPHM



YouTube Cornell Trainer

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Cornell Trainer

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-08-30 13:45:56

Cornell Mk. I FH874

Ex USAAF PT-26, serial number 42-15353. To RCAF in Canada, retained RAF serial number.

1942-12-26 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-April-28 Accident: 33 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Mortlach Names: Mcknight | Nethercot | Nicholls | O'Reilly
1943-07-09 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

Cornell FH875

Cornell Mk. I FH875

Ex USAAF PT-26, serial number 42-15354. To RCAF in Canada, retained RAF serial number.

1942-12-26 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-April-28 Accident: 33 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Mortlach Names: Mcknight | Nethercot | Nicholls | O'Reilly
1943-07-09 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

33 EFTS (33 Elementary Flying Training School)

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.

For More information on RCAF Station Caron see here

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Caron SK

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Boharm SK

Museum Vintage Wings - Ghosts of Saskatchewan

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